Articulated rail car with individually guided axles



Oct. 13, 1959 J. R. FURRER ARTICULATED RAIL CAR WITH INDIVIDUALLY GUIDEDAXLES 'r swans-sheetV z Filed April 22, 1954 .m mk Y ma E VF. ,N mk fm N7 H 7 0 W4 d v Y B @i @mf w8 15 n kw! Sw au n .f \Vr M N a@ n@ @i s oct.13, 1959 J. R. FURRE 2,908,229

ARTICULATED RAIL CAR WITH INDIVIDUALLY GUIDED AXLES Filed Apzjl 22, 19547 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR.

Jay/VR Fue/9E@ J. R. FURRER oct. 13, 1959 ARTICULATED RAIL CAR WITHINDIVIDUALLY GUIDED AXLES 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 22, 1954 FEFINVENTOA f. dOH/V l?. Fl/RRER 2,908,229 ARTICULATED RAIL CAR wrmINDIVIDUALLY GUIDED AXLFSv Filed April 22, 1954 Oct. 13, 19,59

7 Sheets-Sheet 5 E; f JNVENToR. JU//N /P FUR/PEP y ATTO'R/VEY j2,908,229 ARTIGULATED RAIL CAR wrm iunrvrnuALLy GUIDED AxLEs FiledvApril 22, 1954 J. R. FURRER Oct. 13, 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.d/l/V /E FUR/PEF WE/ gi@ f@ Aira/awry oct. 13, 1959 J. R. F'URRER2,908,229

ARTICULATED RAIL CAR WTH INDIVIDUALLY GUIDED AXLES P E5 INVENTOR.

, 2.222,7 i477' O/PNE Y United States Patent 2,908,229 Patented Oct. 13,1959 ARTICULATED RAIL CAR WITH INDIVIDUALLY GUIDED AXLES John R.Furrer', Southport, Conn., assignor to A C F Industries, Incorporated, acorporation of New Jersey Application April 22, 1954, Serial No. 424,87112 Claims. (Cl. 10S- 3) This invention relates to articulated railwaycars of the low oor type suspended on individually guided axles, andconsists particularly in novel axle guiding means.

Railway passenger cars, according to general practice, are frequently asmuch as eighty-five feet long. To permit operation on curved track theyare pivotally mounted at each end on a four or six wheel sprung andequalized truck. Cars of this type are generally independent,selfsucient units, carrying their own power generating,air-conditioning, and sanitary facilities; they are dependent uponexternal means only for traction, braking and heating. For connectionwith other cars to form trains, they are equipped with automaticcouplers, and steam and air-line connections. The above enumeratedfeatures make highly flexible train arrangements possible, since thenumber and type of cars in a train is susceptible of considerablevariation. Cars of this type have several important disadvantages.First, as a result of their great length, they require extremely heavyframing. Second, such cars are prone to become'derailed when roundingcurves at high speed, due to the fact that the liange of the forwardoutside wheel of each truck strikes the rail at a positive angle withconsequent tendency to climb over the rail-head. This tendency isrestrained, of course, by the great weight supported by the wheels andby substantial speed reductions on curved trackage.

In order to obviate these disadvantages of standard equipment,articulated trains, consisting of a plurality of very short two-wheeledunits, have been built, each of the units being provided with a singleaxle at one end, its opposite end being pivotally mounted on the wheeledend of the adjacent unit, the un-wheeled end of the leading unit beingsupported by the rear end of a multi-axle motor car. It is obvious that,although such trains eliminate the disadvantages enumerated above withrespect to standard railway passenger cars, the units forming such atrain are highly inter-dependent, with resultant lack of flexibility intrain make-up as Well as inability to remove bad order units from atrain with ease. A further serious disadvantage of some trains of thistype results from the fact that the axles are held transverse of thelongitudinal axis of each unit at all times so as to cause the wheels toalways attack the outside rail on curved trackage at a negative angle;obviously such trains can be operated safely in only one direction oncurved trackage, since if they are reversed the wheels will attack theouter rails on curves at a positive angle.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a railway carhaving the numerous advantages of the conventional double truck car, asset forth above, combined with the anti-derailment safety andlightweight features of the articulated trains described above. Afurther object is to provide novel axle guiding means for such a railwaycar, `independent both of coupler actuation and semi-permanent linkageconnections between adjacent cars.

I achieved these and additional objects by providing a car consisting ofa four-wheeled unit, with the unwheeled ends of a pair of two-wheeledunits permanently coupled to each end of it, so that the resultant carinits preferred form consists of three approximately thirtyfoot units andhas wheels at each end. The ends are provided with suitable draft gearand automatic couplers preferably of the A.A.R. tightlock type, andcooperating detachable linkage means for guiding the end axles inresponse to the angularity between cars when the train is operating oncurved trackage. The axles of the intermediate four-wheeled unit areguided in response to angularity between it and the adjacent two-wheeledunits by linkage means permanently connecting each of the axles of thefour-wheeled unit to the bodies of the adjacent two-wheeled units. n

The above and other more detailed objects of the invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the followingdescription and accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a car constructedaccording to myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the car shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic plan View of the axle guiding system of the carshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a schematic View showing the axle guiding system of Fig. 3 asit appears on curved trackage.

Fig. 5 is a partial schematic view of the rear end of a car builtaccording to my invention as it would appear when coupled to the rearend of a train rounding a curve.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the axle guiding 'linkage arrangement betweenthe four-wheeled unit and an adjacent two-wheeled unit.

Fig. 7 is a side View of the linkage arrangement shown inFig. 6. 'j .i

Fig. 8 is an end view of the 'linkage arrangement shown in Figs. 6 and7.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the end axle guiding linkages or" two connectedcars.

Fig. 10 is a side View of the end linkage arrangement shown in Fig. 9. j

Fig. 11 is an end view of one of the end linkages shown in Figs. 9 andA10.

Fig. 1-2 is a vertical sectional View along the lines 12-1'2 of Fig. 9.j

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view along the line 13-13 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 14 `is a vertical 14,-14V of Fig. 9.

Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional view along the line 1s-1s of Fig. 9.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view of a pivot, used at many points in thisconstruction, incorporating a rubber bushing.

Fig. 17 is a horizontal sectional View along the line 17-17 of Fig. 11.

Referring now to the drawings, in which the letter R refers toconventional track rails, the car shown in Figs. 1-4 consists ofa'four-wheeled intermediate unit F and a pair of units T each having awheel and axle assembly at its outer end remote from runit F and eachsupported at its inner or un-wheeled end by the adjacent sectional Viewalong the line end of four-wheeled intermediate unit F. The three 19'andAlounges '20. Thetwo-Wheeledl end units T may be provided With recliningday-coach seats 21 and a plurality ofvvindows- 22. It is evident, ofcourse, that the interiorfarrangementof' the car is `s'usceptiliale ofconsideralrle variation; for example, va loading vestibulemightbejprovide'd at one 0r"bothendsinstead of in thernid'dle, saloonsmight similarly-be located at the ends,the lounge section might beeliminated and the entireinterior of the carjprovided'with recliningseats. Simil'arlythe car; interior mightbe-divided into variousconventional'types of sleeping rooms, or -intokitchen and dinng'rooms,etc. It-Will be l-notedfrom Fig. 1 that wheels 2 3 protrude -wll 4abovethe"underfrarning of the units;

Y iTo accommodate thewheels andV suspension'lstr-ucture, which willbedescribed yini-detail below, wheell Wells 2S are providedrat bot/'hends of intermediate unit F and at the extremeouter end of each-oftheunitsI". Wells25 are inpeach case laterally spaced to providethrough-aisles extending from one end of the car to the other 4as AbestShownfin Figx8`. Thel space; above the -wheelwel-ls' may be utilized forvarious utilitarian purposes suchas to accommodatefelectrical cabinets,f luggage: lockers, etc. The ends of the carl are provided with traindoors28` and conventional vestibules 30; forming means-for lpassagebetween connected cars. Y 'Y The suspension and axleifguidingKrneans'for thej intermediate unit- F'is best shown in Figs. -6, Tand-8in which the numeralv 23I refers to ilangedl wheelsrotatablyV journaledon-stub axles 32. Stub axles 32V are secured to downwardly extendingarms 34`by nuts 35 and arms 34 in turn are olampedto a transverselyextending beam 37, the entire assembly constituting-a vdrop axle Vof thetype disclosed in'- United States Patent No. 2,641,499 to A. A. Gassner.The drop axle structure isneclessary in order to-permitltheflowcarwaisle oorl to extend between the wheel wells 25. The unitbody is resiliently suspended onthe I'drop axle byxa resilient strutmember-'generally indicated at 39. Strut member 39 consists'ofa pair oftelescoping cylinders 41-and 42 which -formva `housing and guide meansYfor a coil springy compressed between their extremeends; VThe -uppercylinder-41 -is provided with an extension 46 for pivotal mounting ati47 -on'body braeketf 49. The pivotal mountingv` 47 is` ofthe type shownin Fig. 16 and consists of an -enlarged 'doubleared opening inrnember 46(corresponding to min Fig. 16), a pivot pin p of smaller diameter thanthe minimum diameter of thelopening, and a rubber bushing b in theintervening space, whereby substantial universal -movement ofthe'fstrutis permitted withrespect to the body. lThe lower strut cylinder 42 isprovided with a downwardly extendingyoke member-51. Yoke member 51 ispivotally secured at 53 to depending arm 55 which isse'cured-to theouterendfrof eachfofv the stub axles by a nut 56. To dampenloscillations-in' strut members 39'each'of the yokes 51 is also connected to the bodyframing by means of a conventionalrhydraulicshock absorber-58 Whichissecured at one end to body bracket 59 and at the other end to yokebracket 61 by means of pivots which are-of the sametype as. shown inFigl1'6. From the foregoing it will beaseenthat thewstrut andfshockabsorber mounting permits.considerabletransverse movement ofthe'axle asWell. asiindependent longitudinalvmovements of each end ofgthe axle inadditionztothe resiliently-.opposedvertical movements of thebodypermitted'byfthe sprungstruts V39.

V'Additional meansisifprrrvidedA forcentering .the axle means of aresilient pivot 65 to a longitudinally extending bracket 69, lwhich isrigidly mounted on drop axle beam 37, so that the axle structure ispermitted substantially universal movement, to a limited extent aboutpivot 68. The means for dampening lateral rolling movements of the bodyconsist-s of a transversely extending torsion bar 70 mounted at each endin a body bracket71 and providedvvith longitudinally extending arms '73;Links 75 are connected at one end by transverse horizontal pivot 76 Vofthe type shown in Fig. `l6 to the freey end of varm 73, and at' theirother -end by means ofv av horizontally extending, pivot 78, of; thetypeshown in Fig. 1.6toa horizontally extending bracket 79 onyoke member 51.It is evident from the foregoing that the axle structure is permittedsome rotation in the horizontal plane about the pivot 68 with respect tothe body. This movement is provided for in order to permit the axle tobe guided by external means. Y

Unit T issecured atits .un-wheeled end to Vunit F byv a draft couplingconsisting of. a tongue 83 mounted for rotation about a longitudinallyextending horizontal pivot in end.weldment 85` of unit 1F,v a bracket 86secured to theiadjacent end'ofvunit T, and link 88,secured to tongue 83by avertical pivot v90 and to bracket ,86 by a horizontal pivot 91, sothat. substantially universal' relative movement `is permitted' betweenthe. two adjacent .units F and T. f Relative transverse rotationalmovementsrbetween the two'bodiesare restricted by carrf-through devicesgenerally .indicatedat 93. Carry-.throughdevices 93Veach consistofashelfx95 secured .to the. end framing of unit F. Shelf 95 is providedwith an opening to receive eyebolt 97 which is resiliently -secured toshelf 95 by a pair of rubberlwashers 98 and 99, above and below shelf,95 respectively, compressed.,between ,metal washers 101 and `102. by nut105' on eye-bolt97.` Thus limitedvertical movements of eye-bolt'97arepermitted, such movements being cushioned by the rubber washers 98.and 99. A rod 106 formedwith a clevis 108 at its upper end for pivotal'securement to the vlower end` of` eye-bolt 97,-I is pivotally securedYat its lowerend Vto abracket 109 `extending longitudinally from thewendframing ofunitT, so that all rolling movements of unit F are resilientlyytransmitted to eachof the unitsT. The above described structure8,3.-109 further constitutesmeans by 'which each ,endunit with respect'tothe body and for dampening the. amplitude ofrl-afteralj'rollingVmovements of the body'with'respect to the axle. The centering meansconsists of a ,longitudinally extendlng rod. A63mounted` on ahorizontal-pivot 65 in bracket67;whichg-depends from and is rigidlysecured to the .body` framingV 'Pivot` 65 isnot provided Lwith a bushingofthetypefsholwnfin Fig: 11fandlconsequentlypermits rotation .of.frod-63only inta longitudinally extending vertical plane. The opposite end ofrod 63 iS Secured by T has its unwheeled end tractively Connected to andsup` ported fromanendv of intermediate. unit F.

The axle guiding means consists of; a linkage. arrangement secured atone end to the axle yoke 51 and at rvthe other end toabracket 81ydependingfrom and secured to the nnderfrarning ofthe`adjacent...permanently coupled two-wheeled unit T. .The axle.guidinglinkage includes a pair of .transverselyV extending `rods 112,rotatablyjoun naled clevise brackets 113 and114V projecting from thelend framing of unit F. Eaehrod 112 is provided with a .pair ofvdownwardly extendingarms 1-16 and 117 having clevises attheirloWerends. A radiusrod 119 is ,pivotally secured at Yoneend tothe.clevis ,of .arm 116-and at the other end to a bracket A121f affixed toyoke` 51, Vthe pivotal connections inV each'case-being, ofthejtypelshownin Fig. 16. -A link 123 ispivotally 4secured at one end to the cle'visofarm 117 and at the other end ,to bracket381' depending from'theframingof unit T, the'pivotal mountings ateach end of'link 1.23 being also ofthetype shown in Fig. 16. lt is evidentl from the foregoing and fro'mthe diagrammatic showing of these partsin Fig.. 4that as the Vcarbuilt according to this invention rounds a curve the 123 onV the insideof the curve will be. in compression,ca-usng (in Fig. 7) a 4clockwise:Ymovement of arm E117, rod 112 and arm 116 `and a corresponding movementof radiusrod 119 `and the kend of the axle structure on ,the inside ofthe curve will-move toward the left in Fig. 7.

Conversely, link 123adjacent'tlie Voutside of thecurve will be placedlin tension so as to impart counter-'clockwisemovement to its arm 117,rod 112 andfarm 116with consequent'movement ofthe outside radius rod'andthe end of the axle structure on the outside of the curve will movetoward the right in Fig. 7. Thus the ends of both axle structures ofunit F on the outside of the curve move apart and on the inside of thecurve move toward each other and will be at all times guided so as `tobe co-linear with the radii of track curvature. In other words thevertical planes of the wheel flanges will be similarly moved and will atall times be tangential to the inner vertical edges of the track rails,regardless of the direction in which the car is being operated, or ofthe radius of track curvature.

Means for guiding the axles of the end two-wheeled units T are shown inFigs. 9,- in which the same reference characters apply to the wheels,axle structure, centering and anti-roll devices as were used in Figs.6-8. Inasmuch as this portion of the structure is the same on the endunits T as on `the intermediate unit F it will not be described againin'detail. The axle guiding means, however, differ substantially fromthe system used between the F and T units, since it is essential or atleast highly desirable that the axle guiding means of each car be easilyconnectable and equally easily separable vfrom cooperating units onadjacent cars. It has been suggested that one way of achieving this endis to use radial tightlock couplers as the actuating means for guidinglinkages. The use of couplers and drawbars as guiding means has as aprinciple advantage the fact that addi-tional guiding connectionsbetween adjacent cars may be omitted. It has, however, a seriousdisadvantage in that, as the adjacent car bodies swing laterally withrespect to each other, as they frequently do even on straight track, thedrawbar pivot points would be thrown out of longitudinal alignment, withconsequent misguiding of the axles. Accordingly, I now provide axleguiding means, which are responsive to the angularity between separateindependent car bodies but which are unaffected by relative lateralmovements of the two bodies.. In Figs. 9 and 10 the numeral 125indicates a tightlock coupler head which, it

will be understood, is resiliently mounted in the draft sill of the carby draft gear of conventional designl (not shown). Each car end isprovided on its right-hand side facing outwardly toward the end of thecar with a transversely extending horizontal rod 127 rotatably journaledin a pair of laterally spaced clevis brackets 129and 139, secured to theend framing of the car. Rod 127 is provided with a pair of downwardlyextending arms 132 and 133 fast thereto. Arm-133 is formed with a clevisbracket 134 at its lower end, in which is pivotally mounted one end of aradius rod 119, the other end of radius rod :119 being pivotally securedto bracket 121 on the adjacent suspension yoke 51. Both pivotalmountings of radius rod 119 are of the rubber-hushed type shown in Fig.16 so as to permit limited universal movement of the radius rod withrespect to arm 133 and bracket 121. Arm 132 is similarly formed with aclevis 135 at its lower end providing a horizontal pivot 136 of the typeshown in Fig. 16 for pivotally mounting longitudinally extending andlongitudinally movable buffer clevis bracket 138. A similar bufferclevis bracket 139 is mounted on a vertical pivot 141 in bracket 142which is secured to the body end framing. Brackets 139, 142 both projectlongitudinally outwardly from end unit T toward the adjacent coupled endunit. Clevis brackets 133 and 139 are provided with vertically arrangedopenings `whereby to mount laterally extending bung bars 146 on Verticalpivot pins 143 and 144. It should again be noted in connection with theconstruction just described that the only pivots provided with bushingsas shown in Fig. l6 are the pivots at the bottom of arms 132 and 133 andthe pivot connecting the radius rod 119 to yoke bracket 121. It will beevident also from the foregoing descriptionV that. if buiing bar 146 ispushed towards the car on which it is mounted it will rotate about itspivot 144 at its inner end, causing an inward movement of arm 132, aclockwise movement of rod 127, an inward movement of arm 133, and acorresponding inward movement of the radius rod 119 and connected end ofthe axle structure. Conversely if bufling bar 146 is pulled away fromthe end of the car to which it is pivotally secured, it will rotateabout pivot 144, causing an outward or counter-clockwise movement of arm132, rod 127 and arm 133, with a corresponding outward movement of theradius rod and the connected right-hand end of the axle.

Rod 127 extends into and is bonded to a soft rubber mass 149 which isbonded on its outer surface to a semicylindrical metal cover 151. Cover151 is held against rotational movement by being bolted at 153 and 154to the end framing of the car, so that rotational movements of rod 127from its normal position, that is, with the axle structure perpendicularto the longitudinal axis of the unit and with the' face of bufng bar 146lying in a verical plane parallel to the car end. Thus, the assembly149; 153 constitutes a rubber torsion spring the purpose of which is tomaintain the buing bars 146 in a position for easy connection tocooperating buing bars on adjacent cars.

On its left-hand side facing outwardly toward the end of the car eachcar end is provided with a rod 157 which is journaled in clevises 159and 160 mounted on the car end framing. Rod 157 is provided with a pairof downwardly extending arms 162 and 163 fast thereto. Arm 163 isprovided with a clevis `at its lower end to pivotally receivethe end ofleft-hand radius rod 119, which in turn is pivotally secured at itsother end to bracket 121 of left-hand axle yoke 51, both pivotalconnections of radius rod 119 being of the type shown in Fig. 16. Arm162 is provided with a clevis 165 at its lower end including ahorizontal pivot 166 for mounting longitudinally extending andlongitudinally movable buthng bar supporting clevis bracket 168. Asimilar buiing bar supporting cle-vis bracket 16S-is mounted on avertical pivot 170 in body bracket 171. Brackets 169, 171 both projectlongitudinally outwardly from end unit T toward the adjacent coupled endunit. Each ofl the buing bar mounting clevis brackets is provided withopenings to receive vertical pivot pins 173 and 174 which pass throughregistering openings in each end of builing bars 176. It will be noted,in connection lwith the left-hand linkage system, that a torsion springarrangement identical to the torsion spring arrangement 151-154 isprovided for resiliently retaining the linkages and builing bars at anormal position to facilitate coupling. Also, bufling bars 176 swingabout their pivots 173 in the brackets 169 at the outer ends of the bars176.

The bung bars each consist of a laterally extending block provided ateach end with `a penforated extension adapted for pivotal mounting inthe jaws of the buthng bar mounting clevises. The bufng bars 146 and 176are shown in horizontal cross-section in Fig. 17 in which it will benoted that an' air line 178, 179 passes through the buing bars. Means isprovided for aligning the bars consisting of a pair of horizontallyspaced registering lbosses 181 and 182 land cooperating recesses 184 and`185. For locking the bars together the air line passage 187 ofleft-hand 'bar 176 is tapped to receive the threaded end 189 of male air`line iitting 191. Male fitting 191 is rotatably secured to air hose178, and passes through air line opening 193 in right-hand buiing bar146. Air line opening 193 is provided with Shoulders 195 and 196respectively -adjacent the rear and forward faces of the buding bar, andair line fitting 191 provided with a cooperating `annular shoulder 198,so that the two buiiing bars may be locked together by the interactionof shoulders 198 and 196 when -air line fitting 191 is tightly screwedIinto passage 187. it should be noted that connecting the air linesthrough the buiiing bars also provides an important safety feature inthat separation of the bars, with consequent misguiding of the axle,yalso sepanates the air lines, thereby actuating the brakes, andstopping the train before derailment,

mediate linkages of Figs.A 6-8.

vRear shoulder 195 merely serves to prevent fitting 191 :frombecomingseparated from the buing bar 146.

,The interactionbetween the devices on connected cars can best beseen inFigs. 9.and l and in 4the schematic views of Figs. 3 and 4. 4It will benoted in Fig. 9 -that the left-hand linkage `of each car engages theyrighthand linkage of the other car. -vIt will also be noted that .thebody .connections 139-141 of the right-hand bufling bars 1.46.0f eachcar are longitudinally alignedwith the linkage connections 162, 168 ofythe left-handbutiing ybars, 17.6'of the other car, and that the ,bQdYconnections 169, 171,.of..the left-hand buing bars of eachrcar arelongitudinally aligned with lthe linkage connections 132, V138 of theright-hand bu'ing bars of the other car. Any

change` in the longltudinal spacing between the cars is transmittedthrough the body connected -end of each .of the buiiing bars to thesuspended end of the adjacent ,bufng bar and thence through armsl'132,Iand. 162, rods 127 and 157, and farms'l133 and 163 to. the `radiusrods and thence to the axle ends. Inother wordsthe ,buffer blocks beingjoined together form in,l eiectasolid block ypivoted at Y141 to one carand at '170; to -thelothercan that is, y at )diagonally oppositecorners. Asl .the cars ,move toward or away from each other as permittedby .the coupler springs the blocks will swingequal amounts and `assumean angular position withvthe vertical 'planes .of their faces convergingat a point on the longitudinal center line of the. cars. This willimpart compression 4or, tension to links 119 of each carV inV equalamounts vand the axles will not be turned. On .theother hand `when thecars enter a curve the blocks on the inside off the curve center linewill swing a lesser .amount than will the blocks on the outer side ofvthe curve., center line. From the linkage connections it willVbe-seenthat Iasa train rounds a curve and the inner portions .of the carends Iare ldrawn closer together the linkages will cause the yinnerwheels to be further separated longitudinally, that is, pushed inboardtoward the longitudinal .center of` theVy car, and will causetheroutergwheels `to be .drawn closer together longitudinally. 'Ilhismovement is ythe opposite of that desired, however, the, linkages at theouter side of thecurve center/.linedraw ,ftheputer wheels vclosertogetherl at a lesser ratethan,;thel outer side ofthe carsseparate, andthe linkages at. tl1einner -side of the curve ycenter line separatetheliinnerqwheels ata lesser rate than the inner side Yof thevcarsmoyeto gether with-the result that the vertical planes ofall the wheels arein substantially tangential relation with lthe vertical edges of therails.

The relationship between ,the end guiding linkages on curved track canbest beseen in Fig. 4, which, shows not only the end linkagesof Figs.9-17 butalsotheinter- It` ,is believedgthat ,the operation vof thelinkages is self-evident. frornfFig. 4 kin .view of the descriptionsheretoforegiven, of their strucyture and inter-relationship. Y

Referring back to Figs..9, 10, l,l,and v14, meansis shown forrpositivelylocking the end linkage on/any, car `so that the last axle in the trainis heldperpendicular to thelongitudinal `axis of thecar andr cannot whipAor A,hunt as rit otherwise would. This locking means consists of anupward extension 201 on arms V133 and 163. Extension k201 is adapted toregister withwa verti- `cal opening 203 in lock blocks 205 which areslidablyV nmounted for vertical movement in guideways 207. Normally topermit =free action of the linkages, blocks 205 are held in theiruppermost position as shown in Fig. l()

-and'on the right-hand side ofFig. ll by pins 209 inserted throughregistering holes 211 and-212 in the block and guide respectively. ThepurposeV of providing means for `locking the axles in la ,positiontransverse of the units T is to permit operation of 'thecar at the rearend of trains, since without such locking meansand .Without Iany.connection to adjacent cars for guiding 'the axle, the axle would lbeloose and would be ableY '8 to rotate freely Within Acertain .limitsabout its central pivot 68. `Obviously such a condition .would beuntenable `and would -lead-to derailment. By providing means for lockingithe'laxlle, YJthe -vertical planes of. the rear Wheels varealways-*retained in; tangential relation to the ed'geyof-'therail-heads-on straight track, and are caused .to maintain a slight `negative anglewith the outerrailihead on'curved track, asshown -in Fig. -5. Thus theneed for complex inter-connections between the rear Wheelsand diorwardaxles `ofv the car is Veliminated. A Y I A The invention may -bemodified inY various respects as may occur tothoseskilled in -the fart,and exclusive use of all modiiications as come within thescope of -theappended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is: i l

1. In an articulated railway train of`at leastv two cars, anarticulatedrcar comprisingvan intermediate unit and a pair of end unitspivotally secured aty their inner ends to, and supported by, utheadjacent end of said intermediate unit, an intermediate Wheeled axlelocated at eachr end of the intermediate 4unitfor supporting saidintermediate unit and movably mounted with respect thereto, a wheeledaxle located at'theend of each end unit remote from the intermediateunit for supporting said end unit and movably mounted with respet to theend unit,; a` coupler carried by each end unit adjacent the remoteends4thereof and adapted to connect with a coupler on an adjacent car, meansfor steering the intermediate axles around curves including connectionsspaced on either side of the longitudinalaxis of `the carbetweenveach-ofA said intermediate axles and the inner end portionsofthe adjacent 'end unit, and additional means` includingVparts-projecting outwardly ofthe remote ends of each endunit spaced ,oneither side of said coupler for cooperating with such means onadjacentcars, said parts being operatively connected -to the ends of theend axles to steer the endaxles of the end units around curvesindependently ofuthe couplers. Y Y

2. The lstructure of claim 1 `characterizedin that the projectingv partsare actuated by movements'between the adj acentends of adjacent cars.

3. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that lock means isv carriedby each end unit and engageable with a ,portion of said additionalVmeans `to prevent movement Vthereof and of the end axles of the end unitofthe train.

4. In an articulated railway train of at least two cars, an articulated,car comprising an intermediate unit and a pair of end units pivotallysecured at their inner ends to and supportedV by 'the adjacent end ofsaid intermediate unit', an `intermediate wheeled axle located at eachend ,of the' intermediate unit for supporting said4 interymediate unitand movably mounted with respect thereto, a wheeled axle located at 'theend of eachfend unit remote from theV intermediate unit for supportingsaid end unitand Vmovably mountedwith respect to the end unit, a couplercarried by each endV unit adjacent the remote `ends thereof and adaptedto connect with aV coupler on an adjacent car, means for steering the4intermediate axles around .curves including connections spaced oneither -side of the longitudinal axis of the car between each of saidintermediate axlesand the inner endportions of the adjacent unit, ,andadditional meansv including yparts projecting outwardlyof the end unitand comprising buffing blocks pivotally connected to `the remoteends of`the -end units on either side of the coupleraud operatively connectedoneither side of the coupler to the axle of the end lunit for steering theaxles ofthe end units around curves independently .ofthe couplers.

an articulated carcomprising an intermediate unit and a Yp air of endunits pivotallysecured at their inner ends to andV supportedlbytheadjacent end of said intermediate unit, an; intermediate Wheeled axlelocatedat each end of the intermediate unit for supporting said=intermediate 5. Inan articulated railway train of at least two cars,

unit and movably mounted with respect thereto, a wheeled axle located atthe end of each end unit remote from the `intermediate unitl forsupporting said end unit and movably mounted with respect tol the endunit, a coupler carried by each end unit adjacentthe remote ends thereofand adapted` to connect with a coupler on an adjacent car, means fforsteering the intermediate axles around curves including connectionsspaced on either side of the longitudinal axis of the car between eachof said intermediate-,axles and the inner -end portionsY of the adjacentunit, and additional m'eans'in'cluding parts projecting outwardly of theend unit and comprising a pair of members spaced on either side of saidcoupler pivoted on the remote end of each end unit and operativelyconnected on either side of said coupler by linkage to the ends of theaxle of the respective end unit whereby movement of the members causescorresponding steering movement of the axles of the end unitsindependently of the couplers.

6. In an articulated railway train of at least two cars, an articulatedcar comprising an intermediate unit and a pair of end units pivotallysecured at their inner ends to and supported by the adjacent end of saidintermediate unit, an intermediate wheeled axle located at each end ofthe intermediate unit for supporting said intermediate unit and movablymounted with respect thereto, a wheeled axle located at ythe end of eachend unit remote from the intermediate unit for supporting said end unitand movably mounted with respect to the end unit, a coupler carried byeach end unit adjacent the remote ends thereof and adapted to connectwith a coupler on an adjacent car, means for steering the intermediateaxles around curves including connections spaced on either side of thelongitudinal axis of the car between each of said intermediate axles andthe inner end portions of the adjacent unit, and additional meansincluding parts projecting outwardly of the end unit and comprising apair of laterally extending members pivoted on the end of each end unitremote from the intermediate unit and spaced on either side of thecoupler, one member being pivoted at its end remote from the coupler andthe other member being pivoted at its end adjacent the coupler saidmembers having connections extending on either side of the coupler fromtheir free ends to the ends of the axles of the end units for steeringthe axles of the end units around curves independently of the couplers.

7. In an articulated railway train of at least two cars, an articulatedcar comprising an intermediate unit and a pair of end units pivotallysecured at their inner ends to and supported by the adjacent end of saidintermediate unit, an intermediate Wheeled axle located at each end ofthe intermediate unit for supporting said intermediate unit and movablymounted with respect thereto, a wheeled axle located at the end of eachend unit remote from the intermediate unit for supporting said end unitandmovably mounted with respect to the end unit, a coupler carried byeach end unit adjacent the remote ends thereof and adapted to connectwith a coupler on an adjacent car, means for steering the intermediateaxles around curves including connections spaced on either side of thelongitudinal axis of the car between each of said intermediate axles andthe inner end portions of the adjacent unit, and additional meansincluding parts projecting outwardly of the end of the end unit remotefrom the intermediate unit and comprising a rst laterally extendingmember pivoted adjacent its end remote from the coupler, and a secondlaterally extending member pivoted adjacent its end adjacent thecoupler, said members having connections extending on either side of thecoupler between their free ends and the ends of the end unit axle saidfirst and second members being adapted to engage respectively with thesecond and rst members of the end unit of an adjacent car forsteeringthe end axles of the end units around curves independently of thecouplers.

8. 'I'he structure of claim 7 characterized in that means 10 isvprovided to connect the engaging members together for positive unitarymovement.

9. In an articulated railway train composed of at least two cars adaptedto run on rails, independentwheel and axle assemblies supporting theadjacent ends of adjacent cars and movably mounted with respect to theassociated car, a coupler carried by each `car and adapted to connectthe cars together, linkage independent of said couplers and including airst member pivoted to the car end on one side of the couplerandadjacent thereto, and a second member pivoted to the car on the otherside of the 'coupler and remote therefrom, said iirst and second membersof one car engaging with and movable by the second and first membersrespectively of the adjacent coupled car, said linkage connected oneither side of the coupler to its adjacent wheel and axle assembly forcontrolling certain movements thereof independently of the couplermovement, and said linkage interengaging when the cars are coupledwhereby the relative angular movement of said cars controls the steeringmovements of the adjacent wheel and axle assemblies at the adjacent endsof coupled cars.

10. In an articulated railway train composed of at least two carsadapted to run on rails, each car comprising an intermediate unit havinga wheel and axle assembly adjacent each of its ends, each car furthercornprising two end units, each said end unit having a wheel and axleassembly adjacent one of its ends and further having its other endtractively connected to and supported from an end of said intermediateunit, all of said Wheel and axle assemblies being mounted for limitedrotation in a horizontal plane with respect to the associated unit, acoupler carried by each car, said couplers being adapted to interengageto connect the cars in train, and means independent of said couplers forguiding said wheel and axle assemblies of said end units, said meansincluding on each end unit a iirst bracket mounted on an end portion ofsaid unit on one side of said coupler and projecting longitudinallyoutwardly of said unit toward the adjacent coupled end unit, a secondbracket pivotally mounted on said rst bracket and projectinglongitudinally outwardly therefrom toward the adjacent coupled end unit,a first laterally extending bufling bar, said bar being pivotallyconnected at its inner end to ythe outer end of said second bracket,longitudinally extending and longitudinally movable means supported fromsaid end portion and pivotally connected to the outer end of said buingbar, means operatively connecting said last mentioned means to theadjacent end of said wheel and axle means of the respective end unit foractuating said adjacent end in the same longitudinal direction, a thirdbracket mounted on said end portion on the opposite side of said couplerand projecting longitudinally outwardly of said ltirst mentioned unittoward said adjacent end unit, a fourth bracket pivotally mounted onsaid third bracket and projecting longitudinally outwardly therefromtoward said adjacent end unit, a second laterally extending buffing bar,said last mentioned bar being pivotally connected at its outer end tothe outer end of said fourth bracket, longitudinally extending andlongitudinally movable means supported from said end portion andpivotally connected to the inner end of said second buiiing bar, andlinkage means operatively connecting said last mentioned means to theadjacent end of said wheel and axle means of the respective end unit foractuating said adjacent end in the same longitudinal direction, saidfirst buing bar of each end unit engaging along the length of said rstbar with said second bufng bar of an adjacent coupled end unit along thelength of said second buing bar, whereby relative angular movementbetween adjacent coupled end units swings said bung bars relative to therespective brackets to which said bars are pivotally connected and movesthe respective connected axle ends.

11. A structure according to claim 10 and including A1V-1 resilientmeansnne'tleitn sad Ylinkage means -tomaintain said bung b arslatergilyl-xtending -pcasition to Afacilitate coupling.

12. \A sirname `accordi-fig Yte Y1.ov and. including securing Vmeanslfen"4 firmly-'connecting teg'etherasvv a unit said 4first buingbar-fone-end unit tsaid second buff Y ing barv of an adjaeentcoupled-end unit.

feb. .4, vi936 Nov, 16, i937

